[Dendritic cell-based immunotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma]

The current curative treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) do not effectively prevent tumor recurrence. Dendritic cell (DC)-based immunotherapy can be a novel strategy targeting tumor recurrence. Here, we evaluated the bioactivity and beneficial effects of DC infusion of HCC tissues following transcatheter hepatic arterial embolization (TAE). 5x10(6) of monocyte- derived DCs were administered through an arterial catheter during TAE treatment procedures in patients with hepatitis C virus-related cirrhosis and HCC. In DC preparation, peptide-stimulated DCs [HLA-DR(+)CD86(+)CD14(-)] were phenotypically immature [CD80(low)CD83(low)], while OK-432-stimulated DCs highly expressed the activation marker CD83. Following the transfer, there was no clinical or serological evidence of adverse events in any patients in addition to those due to TAE. Most interestingly, survival analysis indicated that the patients treated with OK-432-stimulated DCs prolonged the recurrence-free survivals when compared with the historical controls treated with TAE alone. Collectively, OK- 432-stimulated DC transfer to HCC tissues following TAE treatment contributes to the induction of beneficial antitumor immune responses and the prolongation of recurrence-free survivals, providing a plausible strategy to reduce the tumor recurrence rates of HCC.